<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
</head>
<body>
<h1 class="obitHD">Virginia Horton </h1>
<h2> December 29, 2020</h2>
<div class="obit-content">
<p dir="ltr">Virginia Lynn Fuqua Horton died Dec. 29 at the age of
90.</p>
<p dir="ltr"> Born Feb. 9, 1930, she grew up on a farm in
Rogersville, the fourth daughter of Lewis Mason and Osie Jo
McLemore Fuqua. Dubbed “best all around” in her senior class at
Lauderdale County High School, Virginia enrolled in Florence
State Teachers College (now UNA) with plans to become a teacher.
A few days of practice teaching convinced her to shift instead
to business and accounting, where she excelled. After graduating
from college, her work life centered around bookkeeping and
office management, mostly for car dealerships. After retiring
from full-time work, she kept busy by working as a tax preparer
for H&R Block.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In addition to a career path, college introduced
Virginia to fellow student and eventual electrical engineer
Cowden Wiley Horton, whom she married on June 21, 1953. They had
62 years together before he died in 2015, and yet she said, “I
thought we’d have more time.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Family was everything to Virginia. Her four sisters
were among her best friends. She doted on her younger brother.
The four children she raised grew into a large family- who she
loved being Nana/Nanny to.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As a young mom in the 1960s and 1970s, Virginia was a
dependable school and PTA volunteer. She read the newspaper
cover to cover every day. Her signature spaghetti recipe came
from a Chicago restaurant she never visited. Her wild ham
sandwiches were famous. While she was proud of her pound cake,
in truth it was bone-dry unless soaked in fresh strawberry
juice. She claimed never to have had any alcohol beyond one sip
of wine at one office dinner party. She loved reading, vegetable
gardens, hummingbirds, dogs (not cats), old TV shows, sweets and
(sometimes) the Atlanta Braves. A lifelong Methodist, she was a
member of Edgemont United Methodist Church but had been
physically unable to attend for some time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Never warm and fuzzy, she was smart and strong and
clear-sighted. She seldom hesitated to speak her mind, which
remained sharp until the end. When she was in her early 40s and
businesses were increasingly incorporating digital technology,
she learned how to use a computer to keep office accounts that
previously were managed on paper. Virginia lived with several
serious health problems for years and was diagnosed with
COVID-19 the day before she died.</p>
<p dir="ltr">She is survived by her children: Leigh Ann McKelway
(Bill) of Richmond, Va.; Mark Horton (Shannon) of Huntsville;
Mary Lynn Tipton (Lyn) of Gurley; and David Horton of Florence.
Additional survivors include nine grandchildren and nine
great-granddaughters.</p>
<p>A graveside service will be held for Mrs. Horton on Saturday,
January 2, 2020 at 11:00 A.M. at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens. In
lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American
Cancer Society.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The family would like to extend a thank you to
special family friend, Amanda Hill for her years of caregiving,
love, and support. As well as ElderCare and Glenwood Center for
their continued support.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Arrangements were entrusted to Elkins Funeral Home.
You are invited to leave condolences on our website at <a
href="http://www.elkinsfuneralhome.com/" target="_blank"
rel="noopener"
data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.elkinsfuneralhome.com/&source=gmail&ust=1609424628411000&usg=AFQjCNFFfnktPIb8YlYnleHnFg-fTHcwew"
moz-do-not-send="true">www.elkinsfuneralhome.com</a>.</p>
<p style="margin-top:2em;" class="obituary-text-CTAs"> To send a
flower arrangement to the family of <strong>Virginia Horton</strong>,
please <a style=" display:inline;" target="_blank"
href="https://www.elkinsfuneralhome.com/obituary/virginia-horton/flowers"
class="obituaryInline-flowers-textLink-obitText"
moz-do-not-send="true">click here to visit our Sympathy Store</a>.
</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>